The anchor was at last dropped at three miles within the entrance near an open cliffy bank, on which there were two canoes hauled up, but no sign of their owners.
The night was squally, and the tide ran at the rate of nearly four knots.
May 20.
At low water the next morning the shoals were exposed, and showed us the dangers we had unknowingly encountered in passing over them when they were covered.

The passages between them were found to be so intricate that, after sounding them for some time, we gave up all idea of passing out by the south entrance.
May 21.
And, returning by the way we came, the next day anchored near our former position in St.Asaph Bay.
The Strait was named Apsley; and the land on the western side which had thus been proved to be insulated was named in compliment to the Right Honourable Earl Bathurst, his Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies.
May 22.
The day following we coasted the North-West side of Bathurst Island; and at sunset anchored off a point from which a reef projects for a considerable distance into the sea.
May 23.
The next day we anchored off an opening at the bottom of an extensive bay, in three and a half fathoms.
It happened to be high water when we anchored; and, although we were three miles from the shore, the tide of ebb reduced the depth so much that there was reason to apprehend the cutter's being left dry at low water; the depth was, however, ten feet and a half, which was only eighteen inches more than the cutter's draught.
May 23.
The opening off which we had anchored was formed between two low, sandy points, and trended in to the South-East; on the land at the back was a long round-backed hill, which, when viewed from the northward, had a flat-topped appearance.
May 24.
Having sounded the space between the anchorage and the shore, it was found that we were on the outer edge of a bar, within which the water deepened to five fathoms, and in the entrance there was as much as eleven and twelve fathoms; we therefore weighed the anchor, and, the wind blowing out, worked up towards the opening, which, as the tide was flowing, it did not take long to effect.

On passing the bar, we had not less water than eleven feet (low water soundings), after which the depth gradually increased.

An anchorage was taken up in the evening within the entrance.
May 25.
And the next day, after an attempt to reach further up, in which we only succeeded to the distance of a mile, the examination was completed by our boat.
It was found to run in, gradually narrowing and decreasing in depth for eight miles, and to terminate in two salt-water creeks.

The banks on both sides were impenetrably lined with mangroves, which effectually defied our attempts to land.